Locomotive draft appliance



Feb. 9, 1932. H. ROONEY ET AL 1,844,439

LOCOMOTI VE DRAFT APPLIANCE Filed Oct. 4, 1929 H R0 one HK/i'aaneyNVENTOR' A TTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 9, 1932 UNl'lEll STATES PATENT OFFICE LOCOMOTIVE DRAFTAPPLIANCE Application filed October 4, 1929. Serial No. 397,316.

.lhc object of this invention is to provide simple mechanism whereby theexhaust steam from a locomotive will be utilized to expedite thedischarge of smolrc and to create a steady even draft through thefirebox and the boiler so that the tire will burn steadily and consumefuel economically while maintaining, the desired boiler pressure. Theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will behereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section throughportion of the smoke box of a locomotive having the invention embodiedtherein,

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in transverse vertical section and partly infront elevation of the same mech anism.

The smoke box 1 of the locomotive may be of any well known or approvedconstruction, and in Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown within the smoke boxthe usual deflector 2 extending downwardly and forwardly from the fluesheet 3 in which the front ends of the fines 4c are secured. In theupper portion of the smoke box is a hood 5 leading directly to the smokeoutlet pipe 6 and alined with the smoke outlet 6 is a pipe 7 throughwhich exhaust steam passes from the exhaust nozzle 8 to create a draftthrough the smoke box whereby the smoke, cindcrs and sparks drawnthrough the boiler flues will be sucked toward the out let pipe 6, thesmoke being discharged through said outlet and the cinders and sparksbeing arrested by a screen 9, which extends bctwccn the deflector 2 andthe front end of the smoke box, and collected in the bottom of the smokebox in the usual manner.

In carrying out the present invention, the pipe 7 is secured in a base10 which, in turn, secured upon the exhaust nozzle 8 and in the saidpipe 7 adjacent the ends thereof are mounted an i-friction thrustbearings 11 in which are journalcd the end portions of a verticallydisposed shaft 12 having spiral blades 13 secured upon its lowerportion, said blades or vanes being of such diameter as to extend closeto the inner circumference of the pipe 7, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.Fixed to the upper end of the shaft 12 is a spider 1 1 and about saidspider is secured a sleeve or tube 15 upon the exterior of which isfixed a fan 16, as shown. The fan 16 may be of any approved form and wehave shown it as (30111- posed of an inner ring or hub secured upon theouter circumference ofthe sleeve 15 by brazing or other approved meansand blades 18 extending radially from saidhub or inner ring to acircumferential ring 19, the outer ends of the blades or vanes beingsecured tothe circumferential ring 19 so that a rigid firm structurewill result. i r

Fixed upon the sleeve 15 below the fan is a beveled gear 20 with whichmeshes a pinion 21 secured on the inner end of a shaft 22 which isjournaled in a bracket 23 carried by the pipe or tube 7 andin the sidewall of the smoke box, extending through said wall, as shown in Fig. 2.Upon the outer side of the smoke box is mounted a s iclf 24 upon whichsupported a turbine casing; 25, the outer extremity of the shaft 22extending through said casing and being journaled in the sides ot thesame. WVit-hin said casing a turbine fixed to the sllalt 22 and arrangedto be driven by live steam from the locomotive boiler, a pipe 27 leadingthe steam to the inlet steam chest of the turbine so as to cause thesteam to play upon the vanes of the turbine disk and thereby rotate thesame. The steam csca ies through' the cent al portion of the turbinedisk around the sh 22. The inflow of steam to the turbine Cm iscontrolled by a valve which is connect d to the upper end of a lever 31fulcrumed be tween its ends upon the side of the turbine casing; andhaving; its lower end connected to a centrifugal speed governor S2.

The rotation of the shaft 22 by the turbine will act through thedescribed gearing; to r0 late the sleeve 15 and the fan 16 carried bysaid sleeve to accelerate the draftthrcngh the smoke box sufliciently toprevent the smoke accumulating and to maintain a steady draft throughthe fire-box so that the fuel will be consumed evenly and not jerkedthrough running and has acquired some speed, the passing; of steam tothe turbine is cut oil by the action of the centrifugal governor. The

the boiler fines. If the locomotive is exhaust steam flowing from thenozzle 8 vthrough the pipe or conduit 7 will then act upon the spiralblade 13 so as to rotate the shaft 12 to which it is secured. Inasmuchas the sleeve 15 is fixed to the upper end of the shaft 12, it will berotated and the fan will, consequently, be operated to maintain thedesired steady draft through the fire. After the speed attained causesthe governor to p close the turbine valve, the fan will be driven solelyby the exhaust steam. v

In order that the speed of the fan may be reduced when the locomotive isworking hardand driving the fan too fast, by-pass pipes 39 are providedin the smoke box and valves 40 are disposed in the exhaust chamber tocontrol said pipes.

Having thus described the invention, we I claim: V A. locomotive draftappliance compr slng' 1n combination-with a smoke box having a a nozzlefor admitting; exhaust steam in its l bottom, a smoke outlet in its topalineclwitli said nozzle and astraight cylindrical pipe connected atitslower end to said nozzle and having its upper end disposed under, andalined with the smoke outlet, a shaft disposed axially within said pipe,a spiral blade on said shaft extending longitudinally thereof andfitting close to the wall of the pipe, bearings for said shaftwithinsaid pipe and near the ends thereof, the blade extending betweenand terminating near said bearings whereby to present an extendedsurface to theaction of the steam entering through the nozzle, a spiderfixed to the upper endof the shaft, a sleeve fixed about the spiderandfittingiin and projecting upwardly from the upper end ofthepipetoward the smoke outlet and ter- Ininating near said outlet, and afan having a hub encircling and secured to said sleeve, above the upperend of the cylindrical pipel. In testimony whereof we afiix'oursignatures. i HUGH ROONEY. [L. s]

IFIUGH K. 'ROONEY. [L. s.]

